Well I still have cancer.

We met with our oncologist today to go over the test results that have been collected over the past 2 weeks (has it only been 2 weeks?!) and what our future game plan is going to look like.

He stated when we walked in that he had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma and the bad news was that I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. So this is good, because Lymphoma is very treatable but bad because it's still cancer.

Well I really didn't doubt I had cancer though I know Dan still had a little hope that they had gotten it all wrong. So we were just relieved to know it was definitely Hodgkin's Lymphoma and that I was considered Stage II-A which means I have cancer in multiple lymph nodes, but nothing below the diaphragm or in my organs and no external symptoms like night sweats or weight loss.


So that was all a review from last time. We got to see more PET scan pictures which looked horribly scary at first, and then he explained that the radioactive sugar stuff they injected me with got pumped through my heart as well as in my bladder, so just ignore those big black holes of scariness. The cancer is covering my upper body however. I meant to ask for a picture of the PET scan but I forgot, so here is an (my) artist's rendition:

Do not mock the awesomeness that is MS Paint

So that is what my PET scan looked like. We are a little worried about the sizable lymph nodes around my heart, so those will probably take radiation as well as chemotherapy to get rid of. The one in my chest has also grown 2 cm since my diagnosis in May so we will keep an eye on that one.

I will need 4 cycles of chemo which is 8 weeks long. I go in every 14 days for a round of chemo and then recover. When we are halfway through chemo we will do another PET scan to make sure the cancer is shrinking. If it is we will do the 2 more rounds of chemo and then do the RTI therapy (radiation).

I am still recovering well from my surgery, there is barely any redness or bruising anymore except for my arms where they were poking around looking for a vein. I am getting some feeling back in my neck too which is nice. It's weird to not be able to feel half your neck!

My sister and my mom sent me some nice new scarves to cover up my scar until it heals better (thank you!) and I have gotten some great texts and emails from people with some great encouragement for me. I really appreciate it! 

Next up on the docket is more IVF tests and shots and a bone marrow biopsy on July 12th. Our oncologist was very honest with me today and said that the biopsy would hurt and I would cry.  I am grateful for the honesty. I am starting to realize that in the world of medicine it never "just stings", it hurts!

On a happy note, I am getting A's in all my grad school classes. For the first time in my life I could get straight A's this semester!!